Helpless Hero
by RileyArcher
Summary: Daryl finds himself separated from the group. He is still struggling with the death of Beth. Set after Season Six; Ep. Five. I do not own TWD, I do own Riley and her family.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One – Lost

Wayne smiled, shaking Rick's hand. Rick didn't want to turn and old man and children away. He had four, total. "Thanks' for taking us in, I will do whatever needed to help you." Rick normally wouldn't but there were kids Judith's age and younger. "Riley and Dale will find their way back to me, they always do. My job is taking care of the kiddo's until they make it back."

"We lost one of our own, because that herd." Rick responded.

"If we are lucky they found each other, right kids?" Otis, Sophie-Lynn, Hugo, and Elizabeth nodded at their grandpa, huddled together behind him. "Do what you need with the RV."

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two – Look Up

"Damnit." Daryl cursed. He was alone, standing in the middle of the forest. A large herd had moved through and after everything he was alone, he had been separated once again from Rick, Carl, Judith, everyone. He had no clue how long it would take him to make his way back to Alexandria this had been a two day by car run.

"It's not going to help, cussing, you know." The voice ticked his ears and he swore it was just Beth haunting him again. He hit himself hard in the head, and checked his bow. "Look up."

Maybe I am already dead, he thought, sighing. He looked up and for a moment he thought it was Beth, then he caught sight of the long flowing brown hair. She was small but not a child. "Names Riley, daddy named me after his best hunting dog." She was climbing down now. Guns on both hips, her own bow draped over her shoulder, smaller than his, a lighter weight, but full of arrows. "I'll give you some, seriously, lower your bow. No need to kill me."

He looked her up and down, slowly lowering his bow. She was small, barley five foot tall by his examination, and muscular in her own right. He couldn't believe she weighed over 130 pounds soaking wet. "Daryl, that's me." A smile cracked her lips, she was pale, and looked tired, messy.

"My brother, and my kids, and my daddy – I got lost from them near Jupiter." Daryl looked confused, he did not realize that they had made it that close, close to the world that haunted him.

"How far?" She looked at him, brushed her hair up and smiled.

"Bout half a day's walk. The herd was coming and it was only ten or twelve, so I made my way to the forest, climbed the tress to hide out, then I saw you. Thought you were running from the horde, but you were headed towards it. You could use my help." He was covered in filth, blood all over him. "We head back that way before dark, I help you, and you help me."

"Your brother, and daddy, and kids you say." Daryl was looking at her again. Through her tattered shirt he could see the hints of tattoos.

"Yes, I got three. A boy, Otis, 6, and twins Hugo and Sophi-Lynn, 3, born after the world went to shit." She smiled at him. "You look left too, family?"

"You could say that." Daryl looked towards the sun through the trees, her daughter had a name like Carol's Sophie. He had to help her now. Looking for lost people that seemed to be what he did. And he did it well.

"Right then…" Her voice trailed off as they heard the snarling. "Up?" They climbed quickly back into her hiding spot. "Share." It was more of a command than a request and she pushed his back against the tree, as he rested on the trunk. She removed her bow, and slipped down in front of him. From her nap sack she brought out rope, and quickly swung it around her waist and tree, she offered Daryl some. He watched with intent as she tied herself in.

"Riley… you got a husband or something?" Daryl didn't talk much but she was too damn pretty to be a country girl, she should not know how to do the things that she did.

"I did, two times, actually." She sighed, "You gonna talk all damn night, Daryl, or sleep." She was silent after that, he hmphed, and leaned back against the tree. One day, one day and his life had gone back to being empty and not worth a damn.

He had spent all the previous day tracking the herd, to no avail. He could not find his family, he could see their tracks once, but then the walkers screwed it all up. Distraught he had let his guard down and she had every chance to kill him. But she didn't. Instead Daryl Dixon found himself tied to a tree, her in front of him, and her on first watch.

The day light crept up on them, she gently shook his shoulder, but found a knife at her throat. He was blinking sleep from his eyes. She sighed, and waited for him to lower his blade. "Sorry, habits…" He tucked it into his belt once more, his eyes down cast. She untied her cord, and waited for him to untie and hand the cord back to her. She packed them away slowly. She lowered herself from branch to branch, him behind her.

"If we are that close to Jupiter, there should be a road a mile up or so… we can follow the sun." Daryl looked at her, and saw her cross bow was out, she grabbed her long barrel revolver from her hip and handed it to him, with a handful of arrows.

The trek through he woods was mostly in silence, they did not kill the walkers unless they absolutely needed too. In almost complete silence they reached the road, she smiled as the sun light struck her face. "My rules, if I am going to help you." Daryl grumbled.

"Fine by me." She smiled at him again. He took off at a fast pace along the road, her hot on his heels. Everything in her body was ready to give up. But he didn't need to know that. They were four miles from Jupiter, or so the sign said. Each step closer, Daryl could feel it creep on him, the anxiety of knowing it was there that every scar etched into his skin was created.

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three – Mr. Dixon's Humble Home

"Daryl." They had stopped in front of a run-down pinkish single wide, removed from the road about fifty yards, with machine parts strewed about the yard. "We have stood here a solid ten minutes, we have hit every house on this strip but this one…"

"I lived here." His voice was low. "I… my father…" He fell silent again.

"Daryl, I can clear it myself – if you…" The look he shot her made her quiet down. He stepped forward, she followed behind him, scanning the yards. The door was closed, he fished his pockets angrily for his small knife muttering under his breath. "Here." She handed him a pocket knife.

He slipped the knife into the door, and jingled it a little bit. It creaked open. No walkers emerged. In a dusty faded recliner a man and a shotgun laid, long ago used. She looked at Daryl carefully, she saw what was coming, closed the door behind her. He let out a blood thirsty scream and lunged at the corpse. "SORRY SON OF A BITCH, ASSHOLE, BASTERD, RAPEST, PRICK, LOSER, PIECE OF SHIT…" Every syllable etched out by Daryl bringing the knife down into the lifeless form. Riley watched, her back hard against the door, cross bow at the ready should any walkers attempt to join them. He stopped just as abruptly as he started. Dropped to the floor his chest heaving. She grabbed a small table and wedged it in front of the door. She dropped to her knees next to Daryl.

She had intended to hold him, but he shoved her away violently, enough that she thumped on her butt hard as she fell. Not deterred she changed her approach. She rounded behind him, looked down on him, his head between his knees, shaking. She dropped to her knees behind him, flung her arms around him, and dug through his arms, pressing herself against him, again and again she whispered "Shhh. It's ok." He passed out either from relief or exhaustion and she lowered him to the floor. She cleared the rest of the single wide, all windows and the back door were boarded up. In the back room she found two dead hounds. Coughing, she backed from the room and shut the door.

Not the best place to stay the night, but it would work. She nudged him with her shoe, remembering his reaction earlier with the knife. No response but his even labored breathing. He was covered in blood, and grime from the rotting corpse of his father. Unsure what to do, she carefully drug the chair with his father's body to the back room with the hounds. As she got closer she covered her nose and mouth with her shirt, careful to try not to breath in the stench.

She plopped down beside Daryl once more. Nudging him again, the same response. She removed her pack, and began to set herself up. From her pack she pulled a basin, washcloth and two bottles of water. She emptied the water into the basin, and carefully removed Daryl's crossbow from his sleeping form, and his vest. He was heavy in a way she would have never imagined, he weighed at least twice what she did. She laid him back down, slowly. And breathed in deeply. He was sleeping soundly. Maybe he had lost consciousness. Or had been awake too long. Every time something had made a noise the previous night he had startled awake. She signed, pushing stay hairs from her face, and removed her jacket, she bunched it up and created a pillow. She carefully pulled his shirt up his chest, and then over his head. She saw slight marks on his chest, as she rolled him on his side she found blood that did not come from the beating he awarded his overly dead father.

It was a gash, from the night before she imagined. It was what slowed him down. She dipped a rag in the water basin, and carefully wiped the gash which ran from the bottom of his right rib cage, up to his shoulder. She was quiet as she dug a first aid kit from her pack. He needed stitches. And a lot of them. She looked him over once again, he was warmer than he ought to be, a fever maybe.

"How stupid of me…" she whispered, "he was injured and I didn't notice…" She growled to herself. He twitched as she sank the needle into his flesh, they were neat stitches how her mother had taught her to embroider. He tensed in his sleep, and looked almost like a teenager when he was peaceful. She cleaned his face and his shoulders off, careful not to get him too wet. Long old raised scars ran up and down his back, some dipped below his belt line. She rubbed one that ran from his left shoulder blade to his spine, six inches long. She rolled him back to his back, propping his head on her sweater.

She sighed, and began rummaging the house for supplies and food. Daryl's father had remained stocked for what suited him. Beer and moonshine. Belts, whips, and canes littered a small room next to the bathroom. There were two small beds, on one side posters of naked girls, on the other blankness. She sighed, understanding somewhat that had happened to him, and closed the door. As she closed the door, she felt the sting of tears in her eyes.

She found an assortment of rubber bands in the fridge, bound around rotten meat. She cleaned them best she could, and quickly braided her hair into two long French braids. She kicked off her boots, and slid her pants off in the front room. Daryl was fast asleep. She peeled her shirt over her head, and started using the bloodstained washrag to clean the dirt and grime from her body. Reaching into the pack she dug out her last pieces of clean clothing. Thick black leggings, and a long sleeve short summer dress, dark blue with small green spirals here and there. One last pair of socks, and only one last pair of clean underwear. She laughed a little to herself, then she peeled off her underwear. The bra would have to last until she could find another one. She slid the clean pair up her hips, followed by the leggings, and her socks. She pulled the long sleeve dress over her head. She sank down once more next to Daryl, pushing hair from his face. She drug her boots close to her and sighed, tears once more stinging her eyes as she laced up the combat boots.

She pushed her back against the door, the only unsealed entrance to the house, and rested her head on the coffee table. She stayed awake as long as she could.

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	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four – Fever

She woke with a start. She was unsure how long she had slept. It was dark still out, Daryl was moaning in his sleep. She looked out the window, through the boards covering the glass, there were no walkers that she saw. She touched his forehead briefly with her lips, like she would one of her children, like her mother had done her. He was burning up. She shuffled around to her bag, digging for the last of the antibiotics she had. She crushed up the tablets, and put them into a mostly empty water bottle. She had five doses, and prayed that was enough. She shook the water bottle up. She was quick, slipping behind Daryl, pushing him into a sitting position, resting against her, his head on her chest, she opened his mouth, and poured the liquid in, she covered his mouth, and nose, carefully rubbing his throat – helping aid in his swallowing.

The moonlight tricked through the cracks in the boards covering the glass, and through the gaps in the door frame. She sighed. She was two days from her babies now, 48 hours of them not knowing if she was alive or not. They would be fine, her dad and her brother would never let anything happen to her kids, and they would do what was needed to keep them alive.

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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five - Merle

"Hey, bitch." He growled, his face inches from her.

"Riley, it's Riley, and what's wrong?" He was snarling at her.

"My shirt, my bow, my pack…" He was snarling, and on his hands and knees. "WHERE IS MY SHIRT!"

"Daryl, stop. I cleaned it, it's drying. I stitched you up." He slammed into her, pushing her against the door frame, his hands on the front of her dress. She closed her eyes, and closed her hands over his. "Daryl, I patched you up. Please, I only wanted to help."

"Bet you liked laughing at my scars, huh?" He slammed her down.

She slumped against the floor for a moment. "He did that to you, didn't he? My mom… her dad beat her and her siblings, molested and raped them too – is that what…" Her voice trailed off as he once again grabbed her, slamming her against the wall, tears streaming down his face.

"Stop." She stopped moving. She stopped talking. She looked at him, he looked at her, she was crying too. "Are you afraid of me?" he snarled.

"No, I just, I feel your pain, that was something that I always have been akin to, feeling what others do… understanding things others would miss…" Her voice trailed off. He set her back down, gently. He straightened her dress.

"How long was I out?" He wiped his eyes, and nose, and grabbed his shirt.

"All night. After you… uhm, elicited revenge… you passed out, you had a fever… I got some antibiotics into you. I uhm, burned my old clothes to keep you warm when the chills set in on you." She was not shaking like a leaf like other women would have been, nor was she acting like a hell cat and fighting back. She would have let him do whatever he needed to feel better. He didn't know if that was incredibly brave or stupid. Had he been Merle he might have hurt her something furious.

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	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six – Spankie's

She pushed the coffee table out from in front of the door jam, and let it slowly creek open. Crossbow raised, they both emerged into the early morning sun light.

The walked in silence, following the gravel pathway that lead to the center of town. "I had a brother." Daryl broke the silence. "His name was Merle. Our dad, he uh, well he was hard on Merle and Merle always did his best to protect me… But, drugs and alcohol, and the law took him… I was six maybe seven when he went to jail the first time… That's when, when dad started in on me… Merle went to jail three times then, the judge said military or prison. Merle picked military. He was gone then, for a long time. Mom died while he was gone. Our house burned down…" He was silent once more.

"You were talking to Merle in your sleep, kind of seemed like he was giving you some sort of twisted pep talk about something." Riley kept pace with Daryl.

"He was, tellin me to stop being a pussy." Daryl grew silent again.

"Where are we walking to?" Riley looked around, they had been lucky so far – no walkers.

"I worked for this old asshole, friend of dear old dads, he had a machine shop." Daryl pointed up ahead, to a sign that read "Spankies".

"So a car?" Riley surveyed the lot.

"Not quite, motorcycle is my style. That ok with you?" Daryl paused, there were five walkers mulling around the lot, they had not noticed them yet, but would soon.

"Fine by me." She whispered under her breath. They were older Walkers and slow. "They will be a while." She mumbled.

"Knife." Daryl instructed her. She thought about rolling her eyes, but he liked to be in charge and she wanted to live. He watched her out of the corner of his eyes, a flicker of anger had crossed her face. She had two long knives, one in each hand. He was surprised, she ran, full speed, and sort of hopped into the air, striking two walkers at once in the head, the force of her hit dropped them, and she was quick, dispersing two more. The fifth walker was sort of lurking around towards Daryl, he watched Riley, and she cocked her head to the side, then dove at the walker, impaling it in the back of the head. He stared at her. "We kill together, k. We will create a way to survive. Together. We will find our families. Together." Daryl nodded at her.

She flashed him a smile. It was different from Carol's, different from his dear Beth's. It was the smile of hope, trust. He approached the front door. He rapped on the glass, as she moved closer to him. They both jumped as older looking Walker slammed into the glass panel. "Spankie" Riley whispered, reading his name tag.

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven – Riley Pearl

Spankie was dead. Daryl was working on creating an operational bike out of bits and pieces of other bikes. Riley was standing guard. "Your dad really name you after a hunting dog?"

Riley smiled, "Yea, 'sept Riley was a boy dog." She laughed a little, so did Daryl.

"My full name is Daryl Coon Dixon." Riley looked across the dust covered garage at him.

"Coon?" Riley smiled at him. "Mines Riley Pearl Johnson, well, my maiden name was Walker. Kind of funny now…"

"Dad thought everyone should be a joke." Daryl snarled.

Riley stopped smiling. Daryl was brooding and moody, but there was something unique about him, something hopeless and heroic.

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight – Rides

The bike started the first time he tried it, he smiled at her. He straddled it as she opened the front door, he pulled up, and she climbed on behind him. His crossbow across his lap, held in place by Riley. The wind whipped through his hair and hers, his poncho over the top of him. Her braids made him think once more of Beth. She always seemed to haunt him when he was alone, but this Riley girl, she was a reminder. She could not be more than 25, but she had a six year old. She interested him, but she kept things to herself like he did. Already he had told her more than he had ever told anyone in his family. The bike could run, man could it go. He was going to point it in the direction that he knew Rick would move, and they would go, as far and as fast as they could.

They had rode maybe two hours in silence, the chill of fall would start setting in soon, and a cold wind pushed back at them. "What happened to Merle?"

A shiver ran down Daryl's spine, her chin rested on his shoulder, her arms loose around him, holding his crossbow, her voice in his ear made him sigh. "Died, tried to do the only good thing in his life, and uhm, I put him down…" He felt her arms tighten a bit around him.

"My mother." Riley whispered it to him, then buried her face in his shoulder. He stiffened. He was not much for touch, she had noticed, but she had to hold on, and she didn't want her tear soaked face wind burned as well. He relaxed after a moment. If he was still and focused on the road, he could pretend it was just him, like in the old days.

He knew he would be dead without her. The gash and fever would have left him helpless to walkers, and he would have died. Silence once again consumed them. "Need a place for tonight." He spoke after the sun started to set.

"Yeah." He felt her nod as she said it against his shoulder. "Look." She raised her hand to what looked like a golf course or country club sign. His heart sunk, thinking about Beth. She felt his body tense once more. "We don't have to…" Her voice dropped off as he turned the chopper up the drive.

Their luck with Walkers ran out. There was probably sixty. "Not worth it." Daryl turned them towards the highway once more. Silently grateful towards the corpses.

Darkness was upon them, when they found a tractor trailer, on its side. The trailer hatch opened. Daryl pulled the motor cycle in, then used what little light they had left to tie the doors back together. Darkness fell. She dug absently in her bag and pulled out a battery operated lantern. She switched it on, then opened a small can of corn, and a can of peaches. "Only one water." She breathed a sigh. Daryl hungrily scarfed down half the peaches as she ate half the corn, then they switched.

"I get first watch." Daryl informed her, then he positioned himself so he could look out the small opening he had left between the doors.

Riley sighed, she stretched out putting her pack under her head. And closed her eyes. Daryl watched her drift off into sleep. Her arms over her eyes. In her sleep he watched her, like he would have watched Beth. Like he had. He was not a fan of being stuck, but she was damn useful. It was a nightmares that woke her, covered in sweat, and yelping. Daryl was on her quickly, covering her mouth and glaring at her. Her eyes were wide, but she nodded to him. He released his hold on her mouth, and raised himself from her body.

She sit up, slowly. "We need to get food and stuff." Her voice was barely a whisper. Her shoulder ached and she rubbed it, slowly. Daryl was watching her every move.

"I was separated from my family one other time, like this, after a disaster… with a girl Beth. But I couldn't protect her. I don't know if I can protect you." Daryl looked lost.

"I think if we look out for each other we should be good." Riley smiled at him.

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	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine – Boost

"Ain't tall enough." Daryl declared. They were standing in a small gas station, and there was a drop down door, with no latter, that had the words supply storage on it.

"Give me a boost then?" Riley asked. He looked her up and down, then stooped, he slid his head between her thighs, pushing her up with his shoulders. "Almost there, can you push any higher?" She was two inches from grasping the ledge. Daryl sighed, but grabbed her thighs, close to her butt, and shoved her hard, she grabbed on and pulled herself up and into the storage area. "Cool." he heard her breathe.

She was up there a few moments before she dropped her pack down, "Throw me yours." He did as she asked, and she was away from the hatch again, then moments later dropped his pack.

"Let's lower me down then," as she maneuvered herself dangling her legs, a walker appeared, Daryl released an arrow at it, in the moment of chaos she had lost her grip on the ledge, and tumbled. He caught her hard, one hand on her chest, and the other between her legs, bruising her. She heaved a sigh.

"Let's go." Daryl set her down, and watched her look at him. She was thinking something. She hugged him before he could move away, her arms tight around his waist.

"Need a jacket, you too. The temperature is dropping."

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	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten – Alexandria, Rick

"I don't see signs of him anywhere." Rick was irritated. Michonne looked at him. Wayne stood beside the two of them.

"Riley is a smart girl. So is Dale, If either one met up with your boy Daryl, they would have went to the last place I was with them. Jupiter." Wayne shoved his hands in his pockets. "That was a big herd. Could of pushed the kids anywhere."

"How old is Dale? Riley?" Rick asked, slowly.

"Dale is 33, Riley is 23… Otis was born when she was 18…" Wayne's voice trailed off. "Dale is a marine."

"Daryl is probably close to Dale's age… he's not my son, he's my brother." Rick stared the old man in the face. "We cannot wait here any longer. Daryl always comes home. He will with your kids if he has found them. We are moving on, and we will leave a note, we have a camp to get back to." Rick found a car, on the side of the road and wrote in walker blood – "Alexandria, Rick".

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven – Prey

The herd prevented them from moving closer to Alexandria. So they had hunkered down next to a lake, in a small cabin. They were looking at an atlas page, and going over their plan. "This is blocked by the herd. What do you think they are waiting for?" Riley asked.

"No clue." Daryl was silent again. "We try this route today." Riley nodded. "We were moving the herd away from Alexandria, part of it broke off…" Riley was silent.

For day they tried different paths towards Alexandria with no luck. Riley groaned. "We need food, lets hunt today."

Daryl surveyed her but agreed reluctantly. "That way, ya take that way."

She nodded and moved to the left, headed up a small ridge. Daryl wanted time to think about what he was doing. They had survived well so far, with no sign of people only walkers and animals.

She topped the ridge, her hair braided back and tossed into a sloppy bun. Silence consumed her. She found a deer trail and walked it, slowly she crept along. Her eyes found a white tail amongst the sea of changing colors. She raised her bow, exhaled, and prepared to shoot.

She woke up tied to a tree. "Couldn't let you get a pretty little deer. No fun for me, watching prey hunt prey." She didn't recognize the voice, but she felt a chill run down her spine. She was standing, a rope pulled tightly around her waist, and then her arms banded together, stretched painfully above her head, tied to a tree limb. She shivered slightly, realizing she had been completely stripped of her clothing. The man infront of her had taken care to gag her mouth and then tape it shut. She couldn't make a noise even if she wanted to.

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	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve – Deer Path

Daryl found a car, still warm, and four packs. As he followed the tracks he stumbled upon two dead female bodies, both naked and shot in the head. He instantly thought about Riley. He had no clue how far away she had gotten. Before he could back track he heard voices. "Kyle ain't back yet. Bet he found a biter or a bitch, eh?"

"Maybe…." Another male voice boomed, too close for Daryl's comfort, he quickly climbed a tree, finding a safe perch.

"If he found a bitch, he'd of told us. Too bad those two up and croaked on us." A third man kicked one of the dead females, hard.

"Used uhm up is all." The first man said, "Kyle ought to be back now."

The three men looked at each other, to Daryl they looked grubby and loansome. A radio white noise keyed up and what he heard next made his heart stop. "Got me a live one boys, real cute bitch, braids and all."

They snickered, and started off over the hill he had just came. "Follow the deer path." He heard the disconnected voice with the radio say.

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	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen – Play nice, girly

"Now you play nice, girly, real nice… and we might let ya go." The man ran his knife blade from her belly button to her collar bone. He sunk it in just enough to cause a little blood to drip. "I got enough time to get what I want from you, before my brothers get here." He shoved his knee hard between her legs, and untied the gag around her mouth. He crushed his lips to hers, and ran the knife blade over her thigh, smiling as he pulled back. "Ain't gonna fight it are ya?" He kissed her again, his hands grabbing and pulling stingily at her chest.

He stopped his kissing briefly, grabbed his pants and pushed them down. Riley closed her eyes, but only for a moment. She was going to remember this man and kill him. He pried her legs apart, and stepped closer, she felt the intrusion long before she wanted, as he buried himself in her, she closed her eyes, and screamed.

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	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen – Murder, play

Daryl heard her scream, as he snuck up on the other three. He was debating how to kill them. They started moving faster when they heard the scream too. The last one, the once closest to him he caught quickly, grabbing both sides of his head from behind, he yanked, snapping the man's neck. The man let out the loudest sigh Daryl had ever heard attracting unwanted attention.

The other two turned on him, his cross bow up he shot one. The man crumpled to the forest floor.

As the other ran at him he spoke "You no good son of a bitch, killing my brothers", they were on the ground, throwing punches. Daryl struggled to get free of him, he recognized the face but he didn't know from where. As the tossed and turned, he managed to free a hand and grasp his crossbow as the man on top of him began to choke him. He raised his crossbow once more, and fired an arrow straight into the man's head.

He looked around him. They were lifeless, but his side hurt. Where she had stitched him up was sore, and probably bleeding now. He surveyed the land scape. They were moving upward, towards the slope that he had sent Riley on. He gathered their guns and knives and moved up the hill.

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	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen – Raped

He punched her, hard enough to jar her brain, the back of her head smacking into the tree trunk. "I said be nice girly." He snared as he hit her again, in the face. He brought his knife to her neck as he thrust into her, harder and faster now. As he finished, he ran the knife over her stomach, deeper than the first time. As he bent forward, a few paces away from her to gather his pants, she saw Daryl's face, just behind the trees across from her. Scared, startled, she smiled at him. The same smile she had given him the first day when the sun light hit her skin.

He raised his bow, and calmly said, "That's my girl." The man, Kyle, spun around, his gun drawn, but it didn't matter. Upon finishing the sentence Daryl had released the arrow. He watched the man fall, then was quickly by her side. He was cutting the ropes. "Where are your clothes?"

Riley just shook her head, as the ropes released she dropped to the ground. She had no clue where anything was. Daryl looked at her, confused. She was bleeding but he wasn't sure exactly what had happened. He knew that man had hurt her. She was unconscious now. Unmoving. The noise had drawn walkers. He looked at the dead man – Kyle, he tore the shirt from his body, and draped it around her, picking her up, and tossing her over his shoulder. He thought to himself, in the world before this, him carrying a mostly naked woman over his shoulder to his house would have landed him time in jail.

It was night fall or close to it before he got her back to the cabin. He laid her down on the bed, pushed the desk back in front of the door, and gathered some of the water they had collected. He ripped the shirt he had draped over her up into smaller clothes. He began cleaning the blood from her. She was breathing evenly, he wiped the long cut form her belly button to throat, relieved that she didn't need stitches, he opened the first aid kit, and found a strip of gauze, which he carefully tapped over it. The cut on her upper stomach was a bit deeper, he repeated what he did before, cleaning and covering and taping. The next issue was one he was not sure how to treat or conquer. Dried blood covered her inner thighs and her very core. He opened her legs, slightly, and saw that she had stopped bleeding at least. He was careful not to wake her or scare her. He quick as he ran the strips of cloth over her, making sure all the blood was gone. Then he covered her quickly with a blanket. Tomorrow he would need to find them food. But right now he was upset, he watched her sleep a bit, then let himself cry.

This was too much like the feeling he had when Beth was taken. Too much. Angry with himself, he slipped back out of the cabin, to retrieve her gear.

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	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen – Awake

It was warm, so warm when she woke up. She had dreamed of her children, of being with them. Daryl was there too, his arms around her waist, his face in her hair. She opened her eyes slowly. It was daylight, the fire was out, and she didn't see Daryl anywhere. For a moment panic settled in, he hadn't saved her, she was somewhere else. She took deep breaths, and looked under the covers, she was dressed. Jeans that were a little snug on her, socks, and a tank top. Daryl must have found them. She heard footsteps outside, and ducked under the covers as the door opened. "Riley ya up?" Daryl's voice was gruff, and almost hoarse as made his way into the cabin.

"You did save me." She looked tired, even now. She had been out for a couple days. "Thank you." She looked so small there, cowering and peering around him.

"Couldn't find ya under garments." He looked at the floor. "But the cabin across the way a teenage girl musta lived there. Tons of girly shit." He pointed to the corner, where shirts and pants were piled. "Man left this place behind, I got some from here." She nodded. She was standing.

He was confused. He knew after what happened to him he didn't want anyone to touch him. He didn't know how to do feelings. It was the briefest moment, and she was beside him, then nearly on him. Her face planted in his chest, her arms around his torso, clinging to him. "You kept me alive. Daryl…" Her voice dropped off. He sighed, patting her head like he had saw Carol do in the past to comfort the children. He let his other hand rest on the small of her back, dropping the squirrels he had rounded up for them. He didn't know how long she stayed in his arms, or how long she cried, but he knew the moment she left his arms that he needed her more than she needed him. He felt empty the moment she pulled away. He wanted desperately to drag her back, afraid that she would be afraid of him.

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	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen – Drinking Game

There was no way around the herd that they had found. Snow was going to start falling soon. They had raided as they searched routes, and they had enough food to last them several weeks. "There are still two options we could try… When the snow lets up." Riley nudged him.

"Snow makes uhm slow. We could move when it's not too deep, but deep enough." Riley nodded. Daryl stroked the fire, and pushed the wooden table against the front door. There was only two windows in the cabin, and one door. The motorcycle was situated against the wall, and the bathroom was sealed off.

"Your right." This was the first place they had holed up for more than one night since the incident in the woods. They had moved slowly and painstakingly each day, far from the memory of what had happened to her. He had no clue exactly where they were at first, so they made their way back to Jupiter, then headed west.

"No need for watch tonight." Daryl sighed. "With the snow can't see anyway." Riley nodded. The large bed in the one room cabin was in the middle of the floor, near the fire that he kept feeding.

"Lay down," Riley patted the bed. "Please."

Daryl sized her up. They barley talked most days, and hunted together as needed. He was weak and tired, so was she. The bed looked beyond comfortable. He slipped his boots off, and then his vest. Pulled his thin shirt over his head and jumped onto the bed.

"Now that you're here, let's drink the last of the moonshine we took from Jupiter, and play a game." Riley sounded so like Beth at that moment he cringed. She had unrolled her leggings, and slipped them off. She had a long sleeve flannel button up on and thick socks. This was comfortable between them.

"What game?" He prayed for the first time in a long time that she would say anything other than 'Never Have I Ever'. She returned to the bed, mason jars tucked under her arms.

"Something like 20 questions. And throw the blanket on us." Riley smiled. "I'll ask you something, when you answer, I answer too. Then it goes back and forth."

"Ok al'right ya." Daryl looked up at the wood roof.

"How old are you?" She was propped up on her right side looking at him.

"I think I am about 29. Six years since the turn, and I was 23 then. You?"

She smiled. "23. I had Otis, then the world went to shit."

"You delivered the twins in this world?" Riley looked at him, hard.

"My mom was an EMT, one of the men in our group, my best friend for life, I fell in love with him, we got married – my dad is a pastor, and the day after we welcomed the twins he was bit." Riley looked at her hands. Daryl hurt for her. He had no clue where his emotions were with her. They had spent the better part of thirty five days together, and somewhere along the way his indifference turned to something else.

"My turn," she perked up, "Got a girl in your camp?"

Daryl laughed. "The closest I came to that was Beth, and she…" He trailed off.

"The girl you were alone with, on the road that was taken from you?"

"That's two missy." Daryl paused. "Yea, Bethy." He was quiet for a moment. "You got a man?"

"No." She smiled at him. They both drank from their mason jars. "Ever been to jail?"

How could this woman echo Beth so much, it cut at his heart. "Is that what you think of me?" He snapped. For a moment she looked confused.

"No, I just… I spent the night in jail once, when I was about 13…" Her voice trailed off. It was an innocent question.

"I never got caught, don't make me innocent though." Daryl looked at her hard, these were the moments he had wanted to pull her into his arms and stroke her hair. He wanted to make her feel alive, make himself feel alive. He felt frozen, they shared the bed only on nights they could not have a fire, until now. "My turn, tell me about your tattoos?"

"Well, that's a bunch." She unbuttoned her shirt, letting it fall to her reveal her chest piece, peaking out under her bra. "My dad, the preacher, ran with a motorcycle gang in Kentucky where we lived, my mom rode with them too. So when I got about 14, before I got pregnant, I met one of the sons of the leaders – Mason, he was 19 and all sorts of trouble. He tattooed my wings on," she tilted so he could see them on her back, "Then he did this one," she pointed to her left shoulder, which had a dream catcher about four inches in diameter, from it birds and wolves ran across her chest, and feathers ran down her back over the shoulder. "It was 'sposed to remind me that I'm Cherokee… Then there is this one," she pointed to her rib cage, where a pin up girl was smiling at him, "And this one," she pointed to her right him, where a phoenix dipped below and into her underwear, its head on her hip bone. "This last one was before we found out I was pregnant, hell it's probably the night I got pregnant. He split for a bit after that. But there was code of honor among his family and mine. He came back and married me. Otis was born, then the turn happened. Mason ran with the rest of them, who knows where he is."

"You now." She said after a bit.

"You saw the one on my back, its and angel and a demon, two halves of a whole." He looked at her for a brief moment. "These two are names of important people." He pointed to his chest and his arm. "And this one is my personal demon. Your turn."

"You were falling for Beth weren't you? You act so cold and heartless but…" She fell silent when she saw his face.

"I'm going to check the perimeter." He looked sullen and surly as he stood and stomped out of the house, flinging open the door hard, lantern under his arm, tugging his boots on as he went with his crossbow around his neck. She felt the tears sting her face, then. And whimpered. She stood, pulled on the first pair of pants she reached in the pack, which were apparently Daryls, she belted them to her hips, and then tugged her boots on.

She found him on the dock, looking at the water. "Daryl."

"What do ya want from me?" He snapped at her, whirling at her, grabbing her shoulders hard. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!" He screamed at her.

She looked at him hard. "What do you mean?" Her voice was even, calm.

"I can't… look, I am just redneck white trash that's all…" His voice tumbled. "I CAN'T BE ANYTHING TO ANYONE." She looked at him, for a long moment, pausing to decide her course of action. She flung herself at him, much like the first day in the house. She fought to get her arms around him. "Yes, I loved her, or at least felt something for her." He mumbled into Riley's hair.

"Come on." Riley tugged on him, as she saw a lone walker making its way toward them.

He fought her at first, then lost all his patience. He flung himself at the walker, stabbing and panting. He was angry and it was her fault. "Daryl…" She drug him up from the Walker, and started to lead him towards the house.

He pushed her, hard into the snow then rounded on her, "I can't…" He started but lost his momentum, she stomped up the stairs to the cabin entry and went in. She followed him. Once inside she sealed the door, and pushed the table infront of it once more.

"I didn't mean…" Her voice dropped off as he gulped down the last of the moonshine, he turned on her, similar to the first day in Jupiter, and he grabbed her shoulders, slamming her against the wall. His hand slipped up her neck, choking her at first. She covered her hands with his, and just looked at him. He released her and started pacing. She moved away slowly, to sit on the bed, "I am sorry." He looked at her, and saw how fragile she looked. Just like the day he carried her back from that man hurting her. So innocent.

He lost any composure he had, in that moment, and tackled her body back on to the bed. He was holding her in more of a bear hug, his face in her neck, sobbing. She stiffened at the touch, but cradled him the best she could. She knew he wouldn't hurt her, not really. His hands rested on her hips, as he pushed himself further up her, he looked down at her, smiling, "It's ok." He captured her lips then, crashing into her, kissing her letting the darkness consume him. At first she was startled, but she knotted her hands in his hair and kissed back, nipping his bottom lip with her teeth, as he opened him mouth to moan from the bite she slipped her tongue in. He broke the kiss for air, then climbed off. Looking at the ground, he stiffened "Sorry." He mumbled it, then turned away. Once again he was making his bed on the floor. She sighed. She hadn't wanted him to stop.

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	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen – Snow

"Snow." Rick breathed the word. Watching Carl help Judith play in the first snow they had enjoyed since the turn he sighed.

"I don't know how to tell you this…" Wayne smiled at Rick, "But this is the first time those kids have felt safe since we lost Riley and Dale." Otis, Sophie-Lynn, Hugo, and Elizabeth were playing happily with Judith and Carl.

"I just thought Daryl would be back by now." Carol's head rested on Rick's shoulder.

"Me too, but I know he is out there and ok."

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	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen – Found

Days slowly passed and they returned to not talking much, and only looking at each other when necessary. She needed to talk to him, to feel him, to hold him. He always moved away from her, afraid of her. "We leave first thing, first light." Daryl woke her, a little before daylight. "We are a day away from Alexandria." They had been separated from their family for almost fifty sunrises.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Hey, Daryl, let's talk for once."

"Ain't so good at that." He snarled at her.

She moved from the bed to the floor where he was packing his stuff. She was on her knees infront of him, she pushed the pack out of the way and cupped his face with her hands. He looked terrified, much like a deer in headlights, as she slid one arm around his neck, and brought her lips to his. He tensed at first, but gave in, forcing her backward on the floor, hungrily kissing her. He hadn't felt the touch of anyone, or had any form of sex since before the turn. He yanked at her shirt, pulling the tank top over her head, brushing his fingertips across her collar bone. He looked at her, checking to make sure she was ok with this, with a nod of her head, he brought his lips down to kiss her collar bone, and nip at her skin, and he teased her, kissing every part of her chest, ignoring her nipples. He thumbed her left nub, rubbing a circle over it. He nipped her right breast, then slipped his tongue over her right nipple. He alternated between the two, feeling her hands knotted in his hair, dragging him closer to her, moaning. Her hips were arching, against him.

He pushed himself up, dragging her with him, and roughly pushed her back against the bed. He pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it to the side. He grabbed her jeans, slipping his fingers below the waist line, waiting for her approval. Her hands numbly unbuttoned and unzipped them, her eyes never left him, he slid them off of her. Still wearing his jeans, he pressed against her. She moaned as she felt his hardness, straining against his jeans. She rocked against him, as he kissed her his hands cupping her face, his callouses felt amazing on her smooth skin. He was biting her neck, or the joint where neck met shoulder, she was running her nails up his back, whimpering.

Her hands fell to his pants, moving to unbuckle and push them down, as he slipped his hand between her legs. The wetness alone almost made him loose his mind. Slowly, deliberately he slipped a finger, than two along her clit and her hole, before slipping into her. She tilted her head back, groaning, moaning, and shivering slightly. He slipped his fingers in and out of her over and over again, rubbing his thumb over her clit. He mouth seemed glued to her neck, as he nipped and sucked on her skin. He felt her tighten, felt her orgasm building. She yelped and thrust her hips forward, he watched her breathing hitch and her body shake. He pumped into her two more times, then slipped his fingers out. He brought them to his lips, and licked. Her eyes opened, as she pulled his hips closer, she wiggled to the right angel. He kissed her lips, forcefully, then slowly entered her, rolling his hips into her. They found a rhythm.

He had never had sex with a girl not drunk before, he was wider than most guys, and had been informed by one unlucky sex partner that he was a torpedo, and she needed more shots to take him on. But this girl, Riley, she was tight, so very tight, and her body seemed to fit him like a glove, he had never managed to fit completely in to any girl, but Riley, he was ball deep, and losing his ability to control himself.

She smiled at him, "Go on… Do what you need…" She was whispering. He nodded, quiet, and then increase his force and his speed. If she was uncomfortable she didn't let it go, she tried hard to keep his pace, and raising her hips and wiggling the best she could. He thrust were erratic, and hard, each one pounding against her cervix. He yelped, strangled out her name "Rileyyy." And thrust one last hard time, burying himself completely against her core, he rested his forehead against her collar bone, her hips rocked slightly, her walls squeezing against him. He smiled into her chest, "Gotchya twice."

She laughed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Daryl…" It was wispy and simple the way she said it, he looked up at her and followed her gaze, the door was ajar, and Michonne stood in the door way, something between confusion and embarrassment.

"Guess you didn't die." Michonne turned sharply and shut the door.

"Damnit" Darly cursed under his breath. "Get ya ass dressed."

"Friend of yours?" Riley pulled her pants on, then her socks.

"She's family." Daryl tugged his shirt over his head, and was buttoning his pants when Riley came to stand beside him.

"Daryl, I love you." Riley looked into his blue eyes, he knew she ment it, and he felt sorry for her in that moment. Sorry that she was in love with him. She tucked her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek, then stepped back to put her boots on.

"You shouldn't." He threw open the door, and exited.

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	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty – Refused To Love

"Thought there was a walker in there at first, then I heard her uh… then you yelping her name." Michonne looked like she might laugh at any moment. "We have been looking for you."

"We have been attempting to make our way back to you, how did you get out here?" Daryl asked, still slightly irritated that the younger woman had ruined his mood, telling him she loved him.

"Followed the path made by a huge truck. Stumbled upon some dead mean in the woods, circled back to Jupiter, then followed tracks out here. I figured if you were alive you would be on the move. But I noticed tracks circling this area over and over again." Michonne smiled. "Her dad's with us. Funny you found her."

"Michonne, go on back home. We will follow tomorrow morning. We need to sort out some things." Daryl looked back at the cabin.

"Sure about that, or do you just want to fuck her some more?" Michonne looked hurt by something he didn't understand.

"Never felt anything like what I got for that girl." Daryl snarled. "You know that I don't love. Look at the way Rick looks at you, for love." He shoved her then, away from the cabin. "We will follow your path back, mark the trees or some shit, just fucking leave."

He didn't know what he wanted, how he could. He had never done relationships before. He refused to let someone love him. He had for so long.

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	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One – Your My Girl

She was sitting on the bed, crying. It wasn't fair. She loved Daryl, she didn't know when it had happened or why. But it was true and he didn't think she meant it.

He entered the house. "Sent Michonne away. We will leave tomorrow." He paused. "No one has ever said that to me before, say it again."

It took her a moment to piece it together, but she smiled. "I love you Daryl Coon Dixon!" She almost screamed it at him. He dipped his head, then kissed her again.

"Riley, I can't say it back. I do care for you, I'm fond of you… But I don't know how to love." Daryl kissed her neck, gently over the spot he had marked earlier. "Your my girl." He breathed it into her. She made him feel alive, and for that he was pleased.

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	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty Two – Fucked

Michonne looked pissed when she threw open the gate of Alexandria. "Dumb little redneck fuck." She grumbled. Soon Carol, Rick, and the others surrounded her.

"Did you find him?" Carl asked.

Michonne looked more than irritated. "Yea, holed up in some cabin, fucking a bitch."

There was silence in the crowd. Carol laughed, she laughed hard. "Daryl doesn't like to be touched."

"Yeah, well he didn't mind her, arms and legs tangled all around him." Michonne looked madder now that she started. "Bet he's spent all his time holed up with her, forgetting all about us."

Rick shot her a look that quieted her down. "Daryl was never quite the same after what happened with Beth, if he found a woman that can cure that so be it. Michonne, did he say if he was coming back."

"Yeah, in the morning. And the bitch belongs to the man we took in, it's his daughter, Riley." Silence filed the group, Wayne looked up.

"My daughter is alive!" He clasped Michonne on the shoulder, "And well enough to…uh…help your man out! That's great news!"

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	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three – Alexandria, Daryl

Daryl watched her as she gathered her pack in the morning. Crossbow at the ready. She slipped out first, him behind her pushing his bike. He watched her slip through the woods, like a hunter watches his prey. They had been through a lot. He wasn't about to let her out of his sight. They followed Michonne's tracks to the main road, then he cranked the bike up, shivering against the cold, and climbed on. She climbed on behind him, his bow tucked over his shoulder, and hers over her shoulder.

Within the hour they were at the gates, and he called to Rick to let them in.

First she was relieved to see her children, they ran to her, and she hugged them up. Daryl smiled after them, Carol was first to hug him, arms tight around him. "Missed you, Pookie!" She cooed to him. He smiled. "That your girl?"

Daryl nodded. He watched as the others began to lope around. "She saved me." Daryl told Rick, as he approached. "More than once." Rick nodded.

"You pissed Michonne off." Rick whispered to him.

"Didn't expect her to come barging in on us…" Daryl lowered his voice. Riley caught his eye and motioned him over to meet her children. Rick watched the curious scene unfold, Daryl placed his hand on the small of her back, and waved at the children.

Carol was confused at first, when he gathered his stuff up from the house. "Going to Riley's…" His voice dropped off as he nodded to her.

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	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four - Runs

The age difference between the two caught the attention of the Alexandrian's left. Plus what they knew about Daryl was anything but nice. He was cold and mean, calculating and harsh. This woman, Riley, she was stern and from what they had heard from her father, Wayne, she was tough too. She slipped her arms around Daryl from behind. He stiffened at her touch, but smiled when he saw her hands around his waist. "Saw ya moved your stuff in."

"Sure did, this mornin'." Daryl slipped his fingers into hers, and pulled her along beside him. "Say it, again."

Riley laughed, but smiled warmly at him. "I love you."

"Well, glad someone does other than me." Carol stood beside them, smiling. "Remember, Pookie, I liked you first." She smiled at the two of them. "Heads up, you don't look your age – the Alexandrians might not think your of age."

She slipped off after that. Rick moved his way up the road. "Need to make a run for some more first aid supplies. Can you come along?" Daryl looked at Riley. "I meant both of you. I hear she is a real bad ass."

Riley laughed. "Sure, let me talk to my kids…" She headed towards her dad.

"Michonne will come around." Rick looked at Daryl. "She has moved in to my place, and we…" His voice trailed off.

"Limited women, ya know." Daryl mumbled. Rick laughed, and hugged him again.

"I am glad you are back."

"Your family, man. Forever." Daryl saw Riley walking back towards them. She smiled. His lips twisted up into a small smile. "She is too."


End file.
